Dr. Wortle's School

Dr. Wortle is both the rector of a small village and the proprietor of its exclusive preparatory school. He has built the school into a lucrative enterprise, charging high fees for a handful of boys and promising them a smooth path to Eton. Proud, exacting and generous in his own way, he runs the household and the classroom with the authority of a benevolent tyrant, earning both admiration and whispered resentment. His reputation rests on a blend of academic rigor, comfortable living, and an unflinching belief that he alone knows what is best for his pupils.

When a new usher arrives, the carefully balanced world of Bowick begins to shift. The usher’s fresh perspective uncovers subtle tensions between Dr. Wortle and the succession of bishops who have long questioned his methods. As rumors of a hidden mystery circulate among staff and students, the rector’s firm control is tested. Listeners are invited to watch how ambition, loyalty, and secrecy intertwine in the early days of this intriguing Victorian setting.